Combined radiator and convector heat exchanger



Dec. 22, 1964 J- P. DzlEKoNsKl COMBINED RADIATOR AND CONVECTOR HEAT EXCHANGER Filed May 1 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

iw/ww Dec. Z2, 1964 J. P. Dzn-:KoNsKl 3,162,243

COMBINED RADIATOR AND coNvEcToR HEAT EXCHANGER Filed May 1, 1961 2 Sheets-SheetI 2 IN V EN TOR.

l 35 x /131 afanes BY @1w Wd i@ United States Patent O 3,162,243 CUMBKNED RADIATOR AND CONVECTOR HEAT EXCHANGER James I. Dziekonski, 5407 W. Sunnyside, Chicago, Ill. Filed May 1, 1961, Ser. No. @6,820 4 Claims. ((1165-55) This invention relates to heating apparatus.

In general, heat exchangers are classed as radiators or convectors. Each possesses obvious advantages as well as disadvantages.

Inherently radiators are bulky heavy structures of high initial cost and practical considerations have dictated that radiators, particularly for home heating installations, be made of iron castings. Of necessity these castings are standardized dimensionally to obtain mass production. Installation is usually burdensome and lengths must he compromised to multiples of the lengths of the individual sections. Joining of the sections together entails excessive labor costs and frequently obtains leaking joints. On the other hand, radiant heat is prolonged and gives more comfort.

Convectors, of course, are relatively less expensive than radiators. They provide fast heat but must be operated at higher temperatures than radiators. Because they must chimney to effect air movement they are more susceptiblerto malfunctiom'ng if not properly installed. The heating is akin to yhot air systems and must be cycled more frequently than radiators. Fluctuations in temperature are noticeably more pronounced than with radiant heating which has a more stabilizing effect upon the human body.

A general object of the invention is to provide a novel heat exchanger comprising a combination radiator and convector.

The invention comprehends a radiator-convector unit having a novel structural arrangement of parts which lend themselves to easy manufacture as by extrusion from metallic billets such as aluminum alloys.

A. further object of the invention is to provide the aforesaid'unit which is easily cut andmeasured to any size and in which the joints in the main span are entirely eliminated.

` Another object of the invention is to provide a novel extrusion ywherein the main section comprises a longitudinal radiant panel or ilaskformed with integral means affording novel and simple thermal connections to convector'elements which are fashioned to stack behind the panel and form vertical air passageways therebetween. y

The invention contemplates 'the provision of a basic fin arrangement to provide a conveotor section for different front radiant panel sections. ,v

A further object ofthe invention is to devise a novel heat exchange structure comprising a radiant panel segment and a convector n segment wherein the panel segment incorporates a heat conducting medium-in heat exchange relation to the panel section as well as the convector section, said sections incorporating means for stacking the fins of the convectorv in side by side relation againsty the back side of the panel between a pair of longitudinal interlocking flanges which are adapted to be clinched over mounting anges on the iins which are in intimate contact with the panel. v Y Y Another object of the invention is to provide a novel contact arrangement between the convector ns and panel wherein either the panel or iin or both are formed with slightly convexed abutting surface areas which, upon the i eiiiciency of the structure; Y Y

3,l62,243 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 A still further object is to provide a novel lightweight structure which is easily handled and molds to any Wall and which may be cut to any reasonable increment of length.

It will be understood that although this invention is described in application to the exchange of heat it is applicable as well to carry refrigerant or coolant uid with suitable blowers to function as air conditioning apparatus.

These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become'more readily apparent `from the specification and the drawings, whereinz.

FIGURE 1 is a broken apart fragmentary side elevational view partially in vertical longitudinal section of one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary section similar to FIG- URE 2 illustrating the parts in unsecured position and the clinching tool placed preparatory to bending the securing ange; i

FIGURE 4 illustrates the structure of FIGURE 3 in clinched position;

yFIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of a convector iin structure;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of one of the combination convector iin mounting bracket structures;

FIGURE 7 is an end View of a convector nstructure;

FIGURE 8 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of another modification of the invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention.

Embodment 0f FIGURES I-7 Describing the invention in detail and having particular 'a vertical substantially flat front panel or wall 5 which has an upper portion 6 which along its upper edge 'merges into the front edge of a substantially horizontal cover or defiector wall 7, the rear edge of wall 7 being provided with a dependent mounting flange S having a rear substantially liat mounting surfacey 9 adapted to seat against a wall 10. The forward sidelil of ange 8 is beveled downwardly and rearwardly and is apertured at l2 substantially normal to surface II at a plurality of points to admit fastening screws 13 therethrough which extend angularly upwardly and rearwardly yso as to be readily screwed in by a screw driving tool which may be admitted beneath wall 7 through any of a series of vertically elongated air slots 14 which are formed in the upper' portion 6 of the front panel. f

The air iiow through the `slots I4 is controlled by a damper plate 15 which is provided with a corresponding series of complementary openings l5 adapted to be reg.

.projects into longitudinal slots Id and 19, `the slot i8 being defined between the upper edge segment of the portion .6 and an kadjacent flange 26 depending from vt-he underside of they baille wall 7. Thelower groove is formed' in a ltop web 2i of aheating medium container or enclosure adjacent to its juncture with the back side 23 ofpanel-S. i

The enclosure or radiating meansZZ'in the present rinstance :comprises upper and lower sections 24 and 25 in the form of chambers defined by the aforementioned-top web 21, a bottom web 26, a rear web 27 and an intermediate web 28. It will be noted that Webs 21, 26, 27 and 2S run longitudinally of the unit so that the structure is easily fabricated by extrusion The webs 21, 26 and 28 are integrally joined to back side 23 of panel 5 and to the web 27. t

The back side 29 of the rear Web 27 of the enclosure 22 is provided with fastening means in the form of longitudinal substantially coplanm upper and lower iianges 30 and 31. The upper flange 30 is connected along its upper edge 32 to the back side 29 of web 27 and depends therefrom in slightly rearwardly spaced relation thereto and provides a downwardly open admittance groove 33 with the back side 29 of web 27. The lower ilange 31 is directed upwardly and is integrally united along its lower edge 34 with the back side 29 of web 27 and projects upwardly in rearwardly spaced relation thereto and defining an admittance grooveV 35 therewith.

The 'convector section 4 is comprised of a plurality of lin members`37 and 38. The members 37 are channel shaped in plan and have a vertical transverse Wall 39 and front and rear flanges 40 and 41 integral with wall 39. The wall 39 is recessed at its upper and lower edges as at 42' and 43 (FIG. 5) to expose the upper and lower lug portions 44 and 45 of each ilange itil so that they may. be easily inserted endwise of flanges 30 and 31 from the ends of the unit 2 into the grooves 33 and 35 in a side by side stacked relation as best seen in FIGURE l with the members 38 intervening. The free edges 47 and 48 of ilanges 40 and 41 seat against the external side 42 of the next member 37 except that each member 37 adjacent member 3S has its edges 47 and 48 seated against the back side 50' of the transverse web 51 of the channel shaped member 33 which has integral front and rear flanges S2 and 53 which at their free edges seat against the back side 42 of the next member 37. Each member 38 in addition to being a convector or chimney or air passage forming iin structure has a foot extrusion of web 51 and flange 53, the flange 53 being apertured at 55 and admitting a screw 56 therethrough to fasten the bracket 38 to the wall 10.

A feature of the present invention is in convexing the flanges 46 and 52 and/or the surface 29 so that upon clinching by tool 6@ (FIG. 3) of the upper and lower flanges or securing ribs 3) and 31 against the upper and lower portions of the front flanges of the members 37 and 38 (web 51 being recessed at 58 and 59 (FIG. 6) to develop such upper and lower portions of web 51) the fins and the radiator portion along their contacting areas will be tightly engaged with each other under a distorting stress. It will be seen that the ilanges 30 and 31 are bent forwardly from the `position in FIGURE 3 to that. shown in FIGURE 4 with attendant straightening of the front flanges of the fins and/ or the back side 29 of wall 27.

Each end of the exchanger is provided with a manifold 62 which may be a hollow casting having a free edge portion 63 complemental to the edge 64 of the enclosure section 22 and suitably connected thereto as by brazing or the like. The manifold 62 may have a vent with plug '65 threaded thereinto which may provide a means for connection to a venting device as well knownto those skilled'in the art. The manifold may have a foot d6 to seat-upon a lloor 67. The iluid connection 68 extends from the bottom end of ther connection and lthe web 23 extends outwardly beyondwebs 21l and 26 and is recessed. of the topy and bottomV sections vare individual and the entire unit is made of aluminum orl the; like the iin members areareadapted d to accordion while the front section is flexed so as to conform the structure to a supporting wall.

The water or heating medium is carried in the upper and lower tubes or passages 24, 25 and flows from one end to the other. The damper is operated by the handle Til in obvious manner to control air llow from the inlet defined between the web 26 (FIG. 2), floor 67 and attachment Wall 1t) through the air passages between members 37 and 38 as best seen at 41 in FIGURE l and out of the outlet at the upper end of the heat exchanger as defined by the upper portion of the Wall 6 and opposing wall portion 10 below the top wall 7. The outflow of the air is shown by arrows in FIGURE 2.

Embodiment of FIGURE 8 It will be noted that this modification in essence is similar to'that of FIGURES 1-7 and like parts are identitled with corresponding numerals. In the present instance the radiator portion identified 3a is modied to the extent that the fluid conduits are formed as cylindrical top and bottom tubes or pipes lili) and 101 and the securing flanges 3h and 31 are integral with the rear side 23 of panel 5 and the members 37 and 38 extend at their forward portions therebetween. The manifold 104 is suitably modified to provide upper and lower nipples Which connect to the pipes 160 and 101.

Embodiment of FIGURE' 9 The structure of FIGURE 9 is similar to the previous embodiments and parts corresponding thereto are identified by identical numerals. In the present instance the structure is adapted to electrical heating and the upper and lower tubes lliltla and lilla are split longitudinally as at 125 and 126 and admit and mount the heating elements such as calrods 127 and 128 respectively. Elements 127 and 128 have nut and bolt means 130, 131 to connect to associated electrical conduits.

In essence in each embodiment the front port-ion of the unit functions as a radiator and the rear portion as a convector. The arrangement of the various parts is such that the structure is particularly adaptable to extrusion which provides the necessary connecting and mounting means so that the parts of the unit may be easily assembled by stacking the fins endwise into the front portion. Various lengths as required are easily made by cutting off the excess. -The structure is comformable to uneven Walls and can easily be adapted around minor obstructions. A novel interlocking arrange- `ment of the ilus with the radiator panel is allorded and the nature of the interlock provides a stiifening beading for the front panel and is highly adaptable to extrusion.

Having describedrseveral embodiments of the invention it will be understood that these variations are not disclosed byway of limitation but that various other forms of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An extruded metal baseboard heater for mounting on an attachment wall and having longitudinally elongatedradiator portion including integral longitudinal front and rear walls and interconnecting top, bottom and intermediate webs defining longitudinal iluid chambers,

`means providing lluid inlets and outlets for said chamf fins ydisposed in laterally spaced relation against said rear wall, said rear wall and ilus having contacting surfaces for establishing thermal conductance therebetween, one of thevsurfaces being llat and the other being convex, and means including said ilanges holding said pns edgewise under tension'V along its edges remote from the rear Wall and under-compression against the rearwall with the surfacesonV the .fins in Vconfornriance with-the surface'on the rear wall and in complementary engagement between said surfaces with a fulerum reaction against said intermediate web to provide good thermal contact therebetween, said tins defining convection air passages therebetween having air inlets at their lower ends defined between said attachment wall and the lower end of said radiator portion, said front wall having an apertured upper section extending above said radiator portion and defining with said attachment wall an air outlet space for said air passages, and a top wall integral with said upper section and extending toward said attachment wall above said air outlet space and having means thereon for attachment to said attachment wall.

2. An extruded metal heat exchanger for attachment to a building wall and having a radiant portion comprising an elongate structure presenting inner and outer surfaces, means providing a conduction for a heating medium in said radiant portion and having inlet and outlet ends, and said radiant portion having a pair of transversely spaced integral securing flanges projecting outwardly from said inner surface, and convector elements positioned against said inner side of the elongate structure and deining vertical convector passages, with an air inlet extend-k ing from below said radiant portion rearwardly to said building wall and an air outlet above the passages extending above said radiant portion in front of said building wall, each element having an abutment flange with end portions adjacent respective securing iianges, said abutment flange engaging said inner surface of the elonate structure, each said element further having a wall connected to said abutment flange and projecting away from said structure, said wall being notched adjacent said end portions of the abutment flange whereby said securing lianges being bendable are adapted to be bent over said end portions by entering into respective notches.

3. An extruded metal baseboard heating structure comprising a radiator portion for attachment to a wall, said radiator portion including conduit means having fluid inlet and outlet means at opposite ends, said radiator portion presenting vertical spaced back `and front surfaces, a convector structure behind the radiator portion and comprising a plurality of plates spaced side by side in laterally aligned relation and defining vertical air passages therebetween with an air inlet therebelow and an air outlet thereabove, said plates having top and bottom ends with notches and vertical surfaces therebetween opposing the back surface of the radiator portion, said surfaces on the plates and said back surface on the radiator portion in preassembly having non-mating contours, and bendable liange means projecting from said back surface of the radiator portion and embracing the ends of the plates, said iianges being bent over said ends of the plates and extending into said notches and securing said plates against said radiator portion under stress mating said surfaces on the plates with the surface on the radiator portion.

4. An extruded metal thermal unit comprising a front horizontally elongated radiant section having front and rear sides and a rear convector section, said radiant section having means providing inlets and outlets for associated heating medium, said radiant section having a rear surface with convector connecting means including extruded longitudinal bendable flanges, said convector section comprising a plurality of iin elements stacked side by side each having an edge portion presenting a surface in abutment with said rear surface of the radiant section Jfor establishing thermal conductance therebetween, one of said surfaces being iiat and the other being convex, and means including said flanges holding said lin elements edgewise under tension along their edges remote from the rear surface and under compression along their edges against the rear surface with the surfaces on said elements in conformance with the rear surface and .in complementary engagement therewith, said elements having a fulcrum reaction against the convector section to provide good `thermal contact therebetween, said elements delining convection air passages therebetween having air inlets at their lower ends and air outlets at their upper ends.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,788,201 1/31 Murray et al. 219-38 1,907,527 5/33 Erskine 16S-55 2,516,871 8/50 Haugen 165-67 2,525,371 10/50 Reynolds 98-41 2,576,848 11/51 Mercier et al. 98-41 2,733,049 1/56 Carter 219-34 2,782,007 2/ 57 Glatt 219-34 2,793,007 5/57 Reynolds 165-67 X 2,892,065 1/59 Persak 219-3S 2,967,225 3/ 61 Carrier et al E19-38 CHARLES SUKALO, Primary Examiner.

HERBERT L. MARTIN, PERCY L. PATRICK,

Examiners. 

1. AN EXTRUDED METAL BASEBOARD HEATER FOR MOUNTING ON AN ATTACHMENT WALL AND HAVING LONGITUDINALLY ELONGATED RADIATOR PORTION INCLUDING INTEGRAL LONGITUDINAL FRONT AND REAR WALLS AND INTERCONNECTING TOP, BOTTOM AND INTERMEDIATE WEBS DEFINING LONGITUDINAL FLUID CHAMBERS, MEANS PROVIDING FLUID INLETS AND OUTLETS FOR SAID CHAMBERS, AND SAID INTERMEDIATE WEB PROVIDING RIGIDITY TO SAID WALLS OF THE RADIATOR PORTION IN AN AREA CONTIGUOUS THERETO, SAID REAR WALL HAVING VERTICALLY SPACED BENDABLE LONGITUDINAL FLANGES INTEGRAL THEREWITH, A PLURALITY OF CONVECTOR FINS DISPOSED IN LATERALLY SPACED RELATION AGAINST SAID REAR WALL, SAID REAR WALL AND FINS HAVING CONTACTING SURFACES FOR ESTABLISHING THERMAL CONDUCTANCE THERE BETWEEN, ONE OF THE SURFACES BEING FLAT AND THE OTHER BEING CONVEX, AND MEANS INCLUDING SAID FLANGES HOLDING SAID FINS EDGEWISE UNDER TENSION ALONG ITS EDGES REMOTE FROM THE REAR WALL AND UNDER COMPRESSION AGAINST THE REAR WALL WITH THE SURFACES ON THE FINS IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE SURFACE ON THE 